Klitschko vs. Johnson: Kevin looking to outbox Vitali on Saturday
December 8th, 2009
Photo credit: Juan Carlos Manzano – By Dave Lahr: This Saturday’s bout between World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (38-2, 37 KO’s) and challenger Kevin Johnson (22-0-1, 9 KO’s) pits two fighters with completely different styles of fighting. Vitali, now 38, has been known as something of a brute force in the ring during most of his career. He can box at times, but most of his fights tend to result with Klitschko slugging his much smaller and slower opponents into submission.
Still, Johnson prefers to box from the outside. And why blame him? With an excellent jab like the one that Johnson possesses, he doesn’t need any other weapon besides his piercing jabs to beat his opponents down and win on points. But for those hard heated fighters that think they can take the fight to Johnson and knock him out, Johnson has some surprises in the form of his new powerful left hook and right uppercut.
There’s little question what the older Klitschko is going to try to do on Saturday when he steps in the ring against the young, faster Johnson at the PostFinance Arena, in Berne, Switzerland. Klitschko is going to try and slug early, shoot his fireworks off quickly, and get the young Johnson out as fast as he can to save his aging legs. Johnson, however, isn’t going to play into any of Klitschko’s old tricks and will be using his smooth boxing skills to pound the bigger, slower Ukrainian from the outside. Johnson, believe it or not, has the reach advantage over Klitschko by an incredible two inches.
Blessed with long arms, Johnson has used these assets to his advantage during his young six year pro career to dominate his shorter-armed opponents with his long jab. Johnson’s jab is arguably the best in all of boxing. There’s no other fighter that can compare to the jabs that Johnson throws from what I can see. To go along with his lightning fast jab, Johnson moves well around the ring without laboring like some heavyweights.
Against slower sluggers like Klitschko, Johnson moves out of the way with ease like a matador steering a bull around the ring. Klitschko is going to try and do what he always does against his opponents by going after them and trying to nail them with a big right hand or left hook.
The problem that Klitschko will be up against here is that Johnson will have the reach advantage over him and will be spearing him in the face with jabs all night long. When Klitschko does get in close, which will be rare, Johnson’s faster hands will be a big problem for the slower Klitschko. Johnson will land left hooks and right hands in close and drive Klitschko back.
This is going to be an easy for Johnson. I know that some Klitschko fans don’t understand that, perhaps due to them not being familiar with Johnson, but that’s the way the fight is going to wind up. Klitschko is getting old, and he picked the wrong fighter to step in the ring with.
Tags: 25 Responses to “Klitschko vs. Johnson: Kevin looking to outbox Vitali on Saturday”
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Told you. Honestly, from reading that preview I get the impesiion you’ve never even watched boxing. You certainly know jack all about it.
Johnson fought to go the distance. I had Vitali sweeping every round. I do not blame Vitali. It is VERY hard to KO a guy that has his mind set on defence and defence alone. Johnson did not even try to win in my opinion.
YOU CAN SEE THAT KLITSKO KNOWS THAT JOHNSON CAN´T BEAT HIM,THAT IS WHY HE CHOSE HIM IN THE FIRST PLACE. JOHNSON WITH HIS HAMBURGER EATING AND MAN-BOOBS,HAS´NT DONE NOTHING TO DESERVE A TITLE SHOT, EXCEPT TO RUN UP HIS MOUTH.
JHONSON? ITS ANOTHER BUM MOUTHED AMERICAN WITH ALL THIS STUPID RECORD HE HAS NO CHANCE WITH VITALI NO CHANCE AT ALL VITALI IS A REAL CHAMPION WHO IS JONSON? WHERE ARE HIS BELTS? WHO IS HE? I VE HEARD SO MANY TIMES THIS STORY ANOTHER BUM AMERICAN WITH 0 LOST WHO DID HE FIGHT? COME ON GYYS WAKE UP EVERYONE VITALI WILL KILL HIM BEFORE8 ROUNDS, YU PEOPLE DONT UNDERSTAND A Fk ALL OF BOXING.
I DO HAVE THE FEELINGS THAT JOHNSON STYLE MAY FRUSTRATE VITALI AND MAKE HIM WIN ON POINTS.VITALI IS GOOD BUT HEAVYWEIGHTS DIVISION IS NO MORE HOW IT USE TO BE,NO GOOD OPPOSITION LIKE THE EARLY 90s.THERE IS A PROVERB THAT SAYS NO PALACE IS MEANT FOR ONE KING AND IT MIGHT BE TIME FOR NEW KING:I LOVE SUPRISE
Do not be ridiculous. Klitschko will own Johnson come the 12th of December. Johnson has fought NOONE to prepare him for a dragonslayer such as Vitali. The writer alludes to Johnson having the best jab in the heavyweight division.That comment it laughable. Vitali’s brother Wlad has the strongest/fastest/hardest jab in the heavyweight division.
Prediction:Vitali KO 8th or less.
Whoever wrote this is a real idiot. Chris Arreola was 28 and Klitschko stopped him at age 38. TOO OLD HUH?
Johnson has a reach advantage of an incredible two inches!!!!! HOLY CRAP!!! That’s a lot!!!!!
Paul Williams had a 7 inch reach over Sergio Martinez and nearly lossed! What are you trying to say? You are a freaking retard. You probably haven’t even boxed or watched a fight.
Oscar De La Hoya had a 7 inch reach over Manny Pacquiao…guess what??? Pacquiao knocked him out into retirement. Reach will not win the fight!
lahr, which hole are you talking out of, Go find another job, you are fired, lousy. Eagor take over.
This article is complete nonsence. I repeat to everybody 100000000000000 times nobody and never going to beat Brothers Klitchkos, because they are the best of the greatest boxers forever and ever.
Have you ever even seen Vitali fight? Cluless. This site’s not just got an anti-European / pro-American bias, it’s outright racist with the crap that gets published on it. Johnson will run and Vitali will walk him down late. Around 9 I say.
This game is so stupid theres no way kevin johnson is gonna win its in swizland and Vitali knock him out anyway
What you mean is Johnson is going to run and stink the place out. I am sure that 2 inches reach difference will be a big advantage, the difficult bit will be to judge the exact distance to stay at so he can hit Vitali and Vitali won’t hit him. When you say “Johnson likes to box from the outside” do you mean outside the ring?, because I think he has a good chance if that is the case.
It just looks Vitali and Wlad want to beat up all the american hypejobs until their retirement. Kevin Jokeson will ask for the number of the bus that hit him when he wakes up 2 days after the fight. Wlad will run over Eddie Shamebers and maybe next on route for the Vitali express bus… John Ruiz if he beats Haye in an upset.
ok Lahr you no your full of crap and just saying stuff to get a buncha people to react to your stupid post ,but ill play your stupid game for a sec. first of all wlad has the best jab in the busness and 2nd of all if Vitali come’s out and dose what he always dose ,as you put it, then he will beet the hell out of kevin, so go get a diff job dude cuz you suck at this.
Johnson is talkin the same talk everybody talks when they are about to fight a Klitchko.
Im sure by midway through the fight he will be lying on the floor realising he was WAY out of his depth on this occasion.
If you want to call it a battle, as likely the only men in the world which think Johnson has a remote chance to win is Johnson himself and Mr. Lahr. And we’re not even sure if Johnson himself truly believes he has any chance.
Lahr – sorry – but you are stupid.
Lahr – you are stupid – sorry but I can’t say other things to you!
Who has Johnson beaten??
Thats right nobody!
Klit the elder will make a mockery of Johnson and finish him inside 6 rounds.
Klitschko “fights often”? He sat on his duff for four years. Granted, he’s been active in ’09 but against who? Arreola who eats his way through training camp and now Johnson(!) who has about 6 KO’s to his name. But at least Klitschko is showing up for fights these days. He and his brother apparently have a doctor on staff just to write medical excuses to get out of fights they don’t like. Remember the “I couldn’t find a leg brace that fit” excuse he used to cancel the Rahman bout? I do! That said, this Johnson fight is a joke. Since when does beating Bruce Seldon – I mean, Bruce Seldon??? – get somebody a title shot?
I’ve read the article and for a minute I thought they where talking about Vitali Klitschko, and Kevin Johnson. Tell me they not. Nobody can get it that wrong.
Vitali to stop him late on!!!he head Vitali is head and shoulders above Johnson in more way than one.
Are you American Dave Lahr? If so your probably letting your pride make your judgement on the outcome of this fight for you. Im an American and i have pride for my country but i honestly see the fight going in Klitschkos favor.
Klitschko is a champion and theres a reason for that. If Johnson is this super star boxer were have his belts been hiding? were are his noteable victories? Its his first tiltle shot and i dont think you or Jhonson have any idea what he is really in for. The Klitscho brothers put most other heavy weights to shame.
Im amused at the criticism of Klischko. Lets see. He fights often, against top opposition and doesnt leave the outcome in the hands of the judges. Look at how often and who some of the “superstars” fight.